Photo by James Farrance Photography

Syracuse (1-1) 6, Pawtucket (1-1) 3 (F/7)   Box Score

The Mets played a doubleheader on Saturday following Friday’s rainout, playing two seven inning games. In the first game, the Mets were able to rally in the second, with Tebow recording his first Triple-A hit as he drove in Travis Taijeron with a single. After Herrera walked to put runners on the corners with two outs, the catcher Plaia gave the Mets the lead with a two-run double that put them up 3-2. Plaia had a solid season for Triple-A Las Vegas last year, batting .255/.332/.474.

After shortstop Danny Espinosa led off the third inning by reaching on an error, Tebow eventually brought him in with a two-out double, his second hit in as many at-bats. Herrera smashed a solo shot in the next inning, the first home run in Syracuse Mets history. They tacked on another pair in the sixth after Herrera singled, Plaia moved him over to second on a sac bunt, and Espinosa singled him home.

Oswalt was very much in control through five solid innings of work, being efficient and showing good command of his pitches. He was mostly unscathed outside of one mistake in the second inning that resulted in a two-run homer. The announcers reported that Oswalt reached as high as 92 mph with his fastball.

He tired a bit in the sixth and was not able to get through the inning, but Caminero came in with two outs and a runner on first and quickly finished it off for Oswalt. Caminero continued to shut down the Sox offense in the seventh, firing a one-two-three seventh inning to record his first save of the year and retiring former Mets farmhand Bryce Brentz in the process, who was one of the best hitters for the Las Vegas 51s last year. And with that, the Syracuse Mets won their first game in team history.

Syracuse (2-1) 4, Pawtucket (1-2) 3 (F/8)   Box Score

  • Gregor Blanco CF: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, .222/.222/.556
  • Adeiny Hechavarria 3B: 2-for-4, RBI, K, .500/.545/.600
  • Dilson Herrera 2B: 1-for-3, K, .600/.667/1.200

In the second game of the doubleheader, Blanco got the Mets on the board early, leading off the bottom of the first with a home run. It was his first hit of the season. They wouldn’t score again until the sixth inning, when while down 3-1, right fielder Rymer Liriano reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, scoring third baseman David Thompson to cut the lead to 3-2.

Headed to the bottom of the seventh still down a run against Sox closer and former Met Jenrry Mejia, the Mets fought back with back-to-back singles to lead off the frame by Hechavarria and Herrera. Catcher Rene Rivera then hit a sac bunt back to Mejia that he threw past the first baseman, loading the bases with nobody out. Thompson tied the game with a sac fly, and Blanco hit a fly ball to center field that Herrera tried to tag up on, but center fielder Gorkys Hernandez threw Herrera out at home to send the game to extras.

In the bottom of the eighth, with the game tied and Blanco starting the inning at second base, walks to Espinosa and Liriano loaded the bases with one out. Tebow then grounded into a force out at the plate, but Hechavarria lined a walk-off single to seal the doubleheader sweep and the second win of the Syracuse Mets franchise.

Binghamton (2-1) 4, New Hampshire (1-2) 2   Box Score

The Rumble Ponies were yet to even record a baserunner until shortstop Arismendy Alcantara led off the sixth inning with a single. He eventually came around to score after an infield single that the third baseman threw into right field for a throwing error, allowing Alcantara to come around from second and tie the game at 1. Toffey, who posted an .827 OPS in Binghamton last year after being acquired in the Jeurys Familia trade, hit a solo shot in the seventh to re-tie the game at 2.

They didn’t score again until the 12th, when singles by Sanchez and right fielder Dario Pizzano contributed to a two-run rally. Left fielder Jason Krizan popped out and center fielder Braxton Lee struck out to leave the bases loaded, but the four runs ultimately proved to be enough.

  • LHP David Peterson (0-0, 2.70 ERA): 3.1 IP, 3 H, R, 3 BB, 5 K
  • RHP Stephen Nogosek (0-0, 0.00 ERA): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, K
  • RHP Joshua Torres (0-0, 2.70 ERA): 2.0 IP, 3 H, R, 0 BB, 2 K
  • RHP Stephen Villines (0-0, 0.00 ERA): 1.2 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
  • RHP Joe Zanghi (W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA): 2.1 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
  • RHP Adonis Uceta (0-0, 5.40 ERA): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K

Peterson, who is arguably the Mets’ top pitching prospect, made his Double-A debut on Saturday. Known for his great command, he was a little more around the zone, but his curveball looked sharp as he limited the damage despite being taken out after just 3.1 innings and 77 pitches (42 strikes). His former college teammate Nogosek relieved him, and while he was all over the place, he escaped with no hits or runs charged against him.

Torres, Villines, and Zanghi were also all able to pitch out of some trouble to keep the game tied into extra innings. Uceta nailed down the save in a perfect 12th inning after the Ponies had taken a 4-2 lead, and the team moved to 2-1 on the young season.

Bradenton (3-0) 4, St. Lucie (0-3) 2   Box Score

Outside of the third inning, the Mets offense was very quiet. They scored on a Vasquez bases loaded walk followed by a Brodey single, but second baseman Luis Carpio grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the rally. Control issues for the opposing starting pitcher Oddy Nunez continued into the fourth, with two more walks re-loading the bases with one out, but Lindsay and DH Carlos Cortes struck out. Lindsay is off to a rough start offensively in a crucial season for him, however he made multiple great plays in center field. Left fielder Hansel Moreno also made an outfield assist to nab a runner at second, got on base twice with a hit and a walk, and stole two bases.

Dibrell’s stuff looked good, but a few location mistakes and inconsistencies left him with an unspectacular outing. He threw 77 pitches, 44 of which were strikes. He may perhaps be better utilized in a bullpen role. Campusano got through two scoreless innings before running into trouble in the bottom of the seventh, allowing a two-run double to rehabbing Pirates catcher Elias Diaz. Renteria retired all four batters he faced to keep the game close, but the St. Lucie offense couldn’t muster up anything as they lost their third straight game to start the season.

Columbia (1-2) 3, Charleston (2-1) 2   Box Score

After the first seven Fireflies were shut down, they began to rally in third inning when DH Jose Miguel Medina and center fielder Anthony Dirocie drew back-to-back walks. The 18-year-old shortstop Mauricio then drove in Medina with a single to the opposite field, and left fielder Walter Rasquin tied the game with a forceout at second.

Still tied 2-2 in the eighth, Rasquin led off the inning with a double, followed by a Vientos hit by pitch and an RBI double by the catcher Senger. Senger also showed off his arm behind the plate, catching two runners. Besides the two hits, Mauricio showed off his defensive prowess, starting a nice double play and making a heads-up play to chase back a runner between the first and second base bag before nabbing a runner trying to score. He did also make a fielding error however.

Vilera, who posted a 1.83 ERA in 13 games for Brooklyn last year, started off shaky in his full-season debut. He gave up two runs on three hits and a walk, but settled in nicely after that to record five solid innings.

Hutchinson, who was just called up from Extended Spring Training following Ranfy Adon and Chase Chambers‘s being placed on the IL, threw three hitless innings with the only slight being a couple of walks. His command was not perfect but it was a very nice outing, especially considering he hadn’t pitched higher than the GCL Mets and was had just been called up. Zabaleat pitched a one-two-three to ninth to close out the Fireflies’ first victory of the season.